Cushion flask base



Jan. 12, 1937.1 c. H. SMITH 2,067,581

I CUSHION FLAsK BASE Filed April 12, 1935 Q Q o INVENTOR.

l aienterj Jan. 12, I937 "Terrier CUSHION 'FLASK BASE Cecil Smith,Elmira, N. Y., assignor, by mesne of New York assignments, toAmerican-La France-Foamite Corporation, New York, N. 31., a corpo'raticnApplication April 12, 1935, Serial Nc. laced 3 Claims.

This invention is a cushion flask base incorporated with aself-supporting flask or container for liquefied gas, as CO2, havingadvantages hereinafter pointed out and structural features describedherein and set forth in the claims which define the scope of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the flask withassociated fire extinguisher equipment;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the flask showing its bottom andbase, other parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section of flask and cup before assembly, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan corresponding to Fig. 2.

Flasks or containers for liquefied gas, as CO2, which must sustain avery high pressure, have to that end been made heavy, and the problemthus arises of providing lighter flasks without sacrifice of strength.Reduction in weight with marked increase in strength is effected bymaking the flask spherical, i. e. shaped like a complete or partialsphere. In the illustrative structure in the drawing, the flask I is acylinder having a rounded or spherical bottom 2. This shape, with theinner walls of the requisite uniformity in thickness, cannot be attainedby forging, but is readily produced by externally and internallymachining the roughly forged flask which for that purpose is providedwith a radial lathe center spud 3 forged integral with the flask, asindicated in Fig. 2 where it is coaxial with the cylinder, or welded tothe flask bottom prior to heat treating of the flask, and in either casesubsequently annealed and machined down to screw-threading diameter andthreaded, as indicated at 4. The flask is provided with a supportingbase member firmly secured to and incorporated with it to produce acushion flask base and formed as an inverted sheet metal cup 5 having afree rim-for contact with the floor or etc. and an upwardly facingconcavity 8, formed in the ordinary process of stamping and a centralhole in which the spud projects, the parts being drawn together andfastened by the nut l on the spud with an intermediate lock washer 8 ifdesired. The external radius of the spherical bottom of the flask ismade a little greater than that of the concavity 6, and the curvature ofgreater radius is drawn into the curvature of lesser radius, a heavy setbeing in this way put on the cup or base, normally pressing theunfinished edge of its concavity 5 tightly against the spherical bottomof the flask and holding the parts in contact over a wide area asindicated by Fig. 3. This mode of attachment has the advantage first,that it tends to lock the base from turning on the flask so as tounscrew or loosen the nut and second, that it forms a water-tight jointwith the flask, which joint is not likely to be opened up by the effectof blows from external objects in the course of hard usage and which isfurther protected by being located well in from the maximum outsidecircumference of the flask. These flasks are fairly heavy and subject toinjury and possible fracture when dropped or roughly handled. Theelastic nature of the cup, with its rim free, and its side wallconstituted of the elastic sheet metal skirt extending downward andoutward from the circular edge of the extended area of firm anchorage tothe flask bottom, insures a protective cushion effect which markedlyreduces the risk of such injury. The exclusion of water from the spacebetween the flask and cup is moreover, of primary importance, since, byrusting, the flask wall may in time become weakened and its margin ofsafety against bursting destroyed. The downturned flange or skirt part 9of the cup is of no more than sufficient depth to prevent contact of thenut: I with the floor, which leaves the nut accessible for removal if itshould be necessary to substitute a new base for one which had becomedeformed in the performance of its flask-protecting function abovereferred to.

Where the flask body is cylindrical, both ends may be made substantiallyspherical. Fig. 1' shows the usual design provided with a valve head Hi,and operating lever H with the hose and discharge horn, the latter beingheld in clips l2 and 13. The lower clip I3 is welded to the elasticbase.

I claim:

1. A cushion flask base having in combination an externally machinedflask or container for liquefied gas, as CO2, having a spherical bottomprovided with a radial lathe centre spud, a sheet metal base memberhaving a down-turned outwardly extending elastic skirt constituting aninverted cup having its rim free for contact with the flask supportingsurface and providing a cushion support for flask protection and havingalso an upwardly facing concavity surrounding a central hole receivingthe spud of the flask, and means cooperating with the spud for securingthe base member and the flask together with the spherical bottom seatedin and in extended contact with the concavity.

2. A cushion flask base having in combination an externally machinedflask or container for liquefied gas, as CO2, having a spherical bottomprovided with a radial lathe center spud, a resilient sheet metalinverted cup providing with the flask a cushion support therefor andhaving a spherical concavity of lesser internal radius than the externalradius of the flask bottom and provided with a hole through which thespud passes, and means for giving a set to the base and securing thebase and the flask together with the spherical bottom gripped in theconcavity in close continuous surface contact therewith.

3. A cushion flask base having in combination a cylindrical externallymachined flask or container for liquefied gas, as 002, having a spherical bottom provided with a radial lathe center spud, co-axial with theflask, a resilient sheet the flask bottom and form a Water tight joint]and securing the base and the flask together with the spherical bottomseated in continuous contact with the concavity over an extended 10area, the line of contact of the rim of said spherical concavity withthe flask bottom being remote from the outside circumference of theflask bottom and the sheet metal flange extending freely downward andoutward from said 15 line of contact.

CECIL H. SMITIL.

